Sushiya

Sushiya
529 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing MI 48823
(517) 333-0804

On a beautiful spring sunnt day in East Lansing, my wife and daughters and I were looking for a bite to eat for lunch.  We wandered into Sushiya across from the MSU campus between Espresso Royale and Chipotle.  This beautifully appointed restaurant hit the spot for every member of my family!

My daughters basically split two appetizers for their lunch (no children’s menu here).  The panfried beef gyoza dumplings ($4.95) and the agedashi tofu ($4.95) were beautifully prepared and my kids ate up nearly all of it (OK, I got to sneak a bite of each as part of my research for this blog).

My wife ordered the Sushiya special roll ($11.95) and it was an enormous plate of sushi.  It came with a small salad and a cup of miso soup.  It was a special roll that had tempura shrimp, crab, avocado, and a few other things that I can’t recall right at the moment. 

I was feeling like something warm for lunch and ordered the tempura udon ($7.95).  This is an incredible value considering all of the food that you get with this.  To start, I also got a small salad and cup of miso soup as part of my entree.  The soup was just amazingly satisfying.  The large bowl had a perfectly seasoned broth, enormous udon noodles, tofu, and tempura shrimp.  And, it was served with a side platter of tempura fried goodies: tempura squash, asparagus, zucchini, sweet potato, onion ring and shrimp.  As if that wasn’t enough, my soup also included 4 pieces of California roll on the side! Whew! At nearly $8, this is the biggest deal of the menu and all of it was just delicious.

Sushiya exceeded all expectations with food, decor and service.  I’ll definitely be back to this great campus gem!

Omi Sushi

Omi Sushi
210 M.A.C. Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 337-2222
Mon.-Sat.: 11:30 am 9:30 pm (closed 2:30-5:30 pm); Closed Sunday

Omi is a cool, sleek (albeit cramped) place if you don’t mind waiting and have the patience for outstanding sushi.  It’s rare that I have been able to go right to a table.  I usually wait 15-20 minutes for a space to open up.  From there, it could be more waiting depending on the attentiveness of your server.

The sushi is wonderfully fresh (my favorite is the maguro, or tuna) and the selection of rolls for the sushi squeamish is more than complete with lots of delicious cooked options to choose from.  It’s always worth it, but at $1.95 per maguro piece, it adds up in a hurry (I could eat Omi’s maguro all day!).  The tables are a bit squished together so as to accomodate as many diners as possible.  Getting up every so often if one in your party needs to visit the restroom can be tricky so as not to bump the table next to yours.  We typically eat out with our 2 daughters and considering the tight squeeze in the restaurant, I would not consider Omi to be particularly kid friendly (not a criticism – it’s just the way it is!).

Omi also has a nice small selection of beer, wine and sake to go along with the meal.  A great thing to see is that all of the items on the beer, wine and sake menu are decently priced.

There are other items on the menu but I’ve never bothered to order them because the sushi is just outstanding.  I highly recommend this place  –  but be patient and be prepared to wait a bit.  It’s worth it!

Derek’s Take:

Omi is one of my favorites.  The location is great, walkable from many points around campus.  The atmosphere is modern and feels like it might come straight from a hip neighborhood in Tokyo.  I’ve never had to wait for a table, but I usually go on weekdays at around 5-6.  

I wouldn’t rank the sushi as highly as Sansu.  The specialty roles tend to be extremely salty (even without soy) and the fish isn’t quite as fresh.  However, the prices are far better at Omi.

Service is businesslike, but efficient.  There’s nothing better than a jar of warm sake on a cool, gray Michigan day.  My only complaint about the menu is the seeming lack of nigiri items.  Most of the a la carte items are maki or sashimi.  Sometimes the wasabi can be very fresh but at other times extremely old and dry.  It’s a mixed bag, but overall a cozy, casual place with good sushi.

Moe’s Firehouse Grill

Moe’s Firehouse Grill
565 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 333-7040‎

NOTE:  As of today (10-13-08) and driving by on Grand River, the restaurant is closed.

I walked into Moe’s Firehouse Grill and had a bit of an idea of what Chef Gordon Ramsay (Michelin-starred chef featured on FOX’s “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Hell’s Kitchen”) must think when walking into the restaurants that he is about to turn around.  I had a craving for a gyro and didn’t know where to go.  I settled on Moe’s after seeing a Kronos Gyro poster in their window  –  plus a sign that said there was a gyro dinner combo special.  I thought, “what could go wrong here?”  Sadly, the answer was everything that could go wrong  –  would go wrong.

The good news was that dinner set me back $6.50 for a gyro, french fries and fountain drink.  That’s where the good news ended.  After I ordered and paid, I noticed that the grill man took some gyro meat out of the freezer and placed it on the griddle.  If ever I was tempted to take back a transaction, it was right here.  But sadly, the deed was done and I had paid for my dinner.

There was one other customer in the entire place on a Friday night.  There were more flies inside the place than customers (something that Chef Ramsay would point out if he were reviewing the place on his TV show) and I had to swat them away as I tried to enjoy my dinner.  I picked up my gyro and immediately dropped it because the pita was so hot as if it was warmed up on the surface of the sun.  (Too bad this wasn’t an actual firehouse as I might get some water hose relief after getting burned from just picking up my gyro!)

My french fries tasted awful as if the cooking oil hasn’t been changed out in weeks (another thing that Chef Ramsay would point out if he were here).  The fries left a beige stain on the styrofoam container that my dinner was served on  –  a bad sign that the cooking oil is old.  At least my Slice tasted like lemon-lime soda.  The soda helped wash out the remnants of a regrettable meal.

The rest of the menu features plenty of cheap eats:  burgers and fries, sub sandwiches and something called a “chicken wrap.”  I didn’t bother to ask about the chicken wrap.  I bussed my table, took my soda and tried to forget about my mistake of a meal.

Chapelure

Chapelure
Ste 10, 4750 S Hagadorn Rd, East Lansing, MI 48823
517-333-7172

My wife and kids and I stumbled into Chapelure after taking a walk around Hannah Plaza after dinner.  And, what a wonderful surprise this was earlier this summer finding this little jem in East Lansing!  I also can’t believe that I’ve forgotten to blog about this place because it is amazing.

Imagine European bakery treats like traditional madeleines offered along with an Asian twist  –  green tea madeleines!  As far as I can tell, they do both European bakery items along with Asian bakery items and they do them equally well.  This is the only place where I’ve been able to find Asian sweet red bean buns in town.  The assortment of goodies is eye popping and wonderfully arranged. 

You can enjoy your pastries with coffee and tea inside a very cozy atmosphere with free wi-fi.  We went on a Saturday night and there was a great buzz inside the place. (And, note to bargain hunters: some items are 30% off after 7pm!)

Grand River Coffee

Grand River Coffee
515 W Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823

In the spring of 2007, I was looking for a good coffee place to hang out at.  I saw a lot of billboards for Cornerstone Coffee and decided to try out the one in Holt.  I wasn’t impressed.  The decor seemed to come straight out of a Pottery Barn catalog (no character), the wireless internet was a no-go, and the owner/manager rubbed me the wrong way.  Since then, I drove by the Grand River location in East Lansing without stopping.

Now, the cafe sitting on Grand River is named Grand River Coffee.  I never would have stopped in, but my wife suggested it.  I’ve been pleasantly surprised.  The atmosphere is cozy – leather chairs and couches, a fireplace, and a sheet of falling water surrouned by stone masonry.  However, it’s still a little bit soulless and the light jazz piped through overhead speakers requires a pair of headphones to drown out.  

The coffee here is the best part.  It’s probably the best brewed coffee I’ve tasted here in town and there are plenty of varieties to choose from.  

On the dining front, there is a case full of tasty pastries or they’ll grill up a panini for you.  I had the Italian panini and it was good.  The dill bread was buttery and crisp with pesto spread on the inside.  The meat was pleasantly spicy.  The sandwich was served with salt and pepper flavored kettle-style potato chips.  

Overall, it’s a great place to study or hang out, especially if you enjoy good coffee.

Memo’s – The Döner Company

Memo’s – The Döner Company
http://memosdoner.com
Grand River Avenue, next to Barnes & Noble

Update: Memo’s is now closed!  Such a shame!

The Döner is legendary in central Europe.  It has become the new fast food hit in Germany, rivaling the mighty wurst (sausage).  After World War II, Germany’s population, especially its male contingent, was greatly reduced.  The West German government started a Gastarbeiter (guest worker) program in the 60’s and 70’s to help reduce the labor shortage resulting from a booming post-war economy (Wirtschaftswunder).  As a result, many Turkish immigrants came looking for work and a sizable Turkish population remains in Germany’s urban centers.  The döner kabob originated in Turkey (similar to plain shawarma), but was adapted to German tastes by putting the kabob meat and salad on fluffy pita bread.

I was extremely excited when I saw the newly placed sign over Memo’s storefront this summer, but it seemed like I waited forever for this place to open.  I looked forward to something a bit unique to appear in Lansing. To be honest, my only döner experience was a chicken döner in a backwater train station in Austria.  It wasn’t anything exciting, but I still wanted to experience the legendary döner.  Now, I could experience the legend right here in East Lansing!

Memo’s is definitely a unique restaurant.  The walls are brightly colored in red, green and yellow.  Small, simple furniture provide plenty of seating.  Food is ordered at a main counter and döners are prepared sub shop-style.

The döner itself is served on a fluffy pita or dürüm (like a flour tortilla).  Beef or chicken can be piled along with yogurt sauce, cucumber, tomato, onions, lettuce, cabbage, and chilies.  The beef I had in my dürüm had a depth of flavor that was far more interesting than the gyro meat you get at typical Mediterranean joints.

In addition to the kebabs are Turkish style pizzas and desserts like baklava.  The baklava I had seemed drenched in a lot more honey than what I’ve had before.  A word of warning to non-Turkish taste-buds: the yogurt drink is not a carbonated, milky-tasting drink (as I was used to), but is very salty.

Overall, Memo’s is unique enough and has good quality ingredients that will keep me coming back.  The owner plans to start a chain, so it’ll be interesting to see if this takes off.

AI Fusion

AI Fusion
http://www.ai-fusion.com/
2827 East Grand River East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 853-3700
Mon.-Thurs.: 11:30am – 10:00pm; Fri.: 11:30am – 11:00pm; Sat.: Noon – 11:00pm; Sun.: Noon – 10:00pm

First, the restaurant is called “AI” and not “A1″ (like the steak sauce). It’s hard to tell from first glance at their signage.  And, it’s a beautiful restaurant on the inside.  There is a lot of intricate wood work throughout the place even with this impressive lattice work that hangs above the dining area with some tatami rooms off to the side.  There’s an impressive fish pond right off the bar area as well. 

Sadly, the decor is where the impressive part of AI ends.  If you are looking for fair, overpriced non-descript Asian food, AI is your place.  If you had higher hopes judging from the interior and the menu prices, then you’ll end up leaving disappointed and a bit gouged in the wallet as I did.

As soon as you walk inside, you are greeted with shouts of “Irashaimase!” (basically, “welcome”) from the sushi bar chefs.  Cute in a strange sort of way.  For some reason, Asian restaurants that still do this remind me of the mechanized Asian display of “It’s a Small World” from Disneyland.

Dinner for two adults and one child set us back nearly $60, tip included.  How did we get there?  We ordered one shrimp tempura appetizer ($7 for 4 shrimp tempura pieces, an onion ring and sweet potato) for my 4-year-old daughter and that served as her entree as there isn’t a children’s menu.  My wife’s first choice (Oishii Chicken) was no longer available on the menu along with a few other things pointed out by our waitress…not a good sign.  She ended up with a Teppanyaki (iron hot plate) of filet mignon and chicken for $18.  I ordered the Bulgogi for $16.  Not the best Bulgogi I’ve ever had but it hit the spot for a Sunday night dinner.  At first, I was overwhelmed with how large the portion size was.  But, as I started to pick at my pile of beef, I realized it was propped up but a lot of frozen broccoli pieces and some shredded cabbage.  Both of our entrees came with miso soup, salad in a very sweet citrusy dressing with way too much orange rind on top and our choice of steamed rice or fried rice.

I also ordered a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with dinner at $6 which was probably the best deal of the night considering that I got a healthy pour with my meal.

I’m still scratching my head at the whole AI Fusion experience.  It’s an odd mix of Japanese and Korean menu items along with a full sushi bar that is so overpriced and overrun with “specialties” featuring lots of cream cheese, imitation crab meat and lobster, even.  I was underwhelmed on just about all fronts:  taste, value and service … except for the magnificent decor.  The decor will impress every time if nothing else in the restaurant delivers.

Golden Wok

Golden Wok
www.goldenwokmsu.com/
2755 E Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 333-8322
Mon. – Thurs.: 11:00AM – 12:00AM; Fri. & Sat. : 11:00AM – 2:00AM; Sun.: 11:00AM – 11:00PM

Golden Wok is probably one of my favorite restaurants in Greater Lansing.  I discovered this place when Googling “dim sum in Greater Lansing”.  On weekends over the lunch hours, Golden Wok serves dim sum (Cantonese for basically “order until your heart’s content”) in the traditional way out of wheeled steam carts tableside.  They offer all kinds of great small plates served piping hot to your table.  My favorites: siu mai (pork and shrimp dumplings) and shrimp with tofu with black bean sauce.  A usual dim sum lunch on the weekends is about $20-$25 for a family and it’s quite fulfilling.  Dim sum is served every day but it’s not served from the carts Monday through Friday  –  but you order off of a menu and it’s not quite the same as the weekend service.

Their menu is very straightforward and is decently inexpensive.  One of my favorite menu items is their house special pan fried noodles  –  crispy egg noodles with “krab” (you know, imitation crabmeat which is basically pollock painted with red streaks), beef, pork and chicken in a rich brown sauce.  Golden Wok also just recently acquired a liquor license (which I’m starting to find out is a hard thing to come by in Michigan) which is rare for most of the Asian restaurants that I’ve visited in my year and a half of living here.  I rather enjoy a glass of chardonnay with my Chinese food every so often and I can finally do that here at Golden Wok!

Peanut Barrel

Peanut Barrel
www.peanutbarrel.com
521 E Grand River Ave East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 351-0608
Mon-Sat: 11:00 am 2:00 am, Sun: 12:00 pm 2:00 am

I’ve often looked forlornly at the outdoor patio of Peanut Barrel while strolling along with my wife and two daughters.  The place looks like a lot of fun  –  but not super kid friendly (not meant as a criticism).  I don’t think they have a highchair and the patio doesn’t look big enought to accomodate our stroller.  But, thanks to a babysitter and a night enjoying the beautiful weather in East Lansing, my wife and I finally were able to give Peanut Barrel a shot.

I had Sal’s Memorial ‘Shroom Burger with fries and a Long Island Iced Tea.  My wife had a sandwich (can’t remember which one) and a Long Island Iced Tea.  The meal and drink were delicious and the patio vibe was a lot of fun.  Total cost for dinner and drinks with tip was about $23.  Not a bad deal at all and a great spot to people watch.  Service was fair but in their defense, the 2 waitresses were covering the entire patio and trying to keep track of the seating order between them.  I suggest being on the ball to make sure you’re getting your order in and being proactive to get your check when you’re ready to cash out.

Korea House

Korea House
Restaurant menu via allmenus.com
978 Trowbridge Rd, East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 332-0608‎
hours: M-Fri 11:00 am 9:30 pm, Sun: 12:30 pm 9:00 pm

(This is my first review here as a co-contributor so I hope I don’t screw this up.  Though some of this might be old hat to many of you Greater Lansing foodies, I’m still relatively new to town so cut me some slack!)

In my year and a half in Lansing so far, I’ve been faithful to Korea House when I get a craving for Korean food (there was that one indiscretion at Charlie Kang’s but I swear it was a one time thing and it’s over between us).  I usually go for a quick lunch and there’s plenty to choose from.  I usually get a craving for all the wonderful side dishes like pickled radish or kimchee.  The lunch menu has got lots of great eats priced at around $5.  The sushi bar is open during limited hours around lunch and dinner.  If you have a craving for sushi, this will more than satisfy.  But nothing mindblowing here.

For my money, I stick with the basics:  Galbi dinner portion with a can of Diet Coke.  It’s an enormous amount of food for $10 and it’s great every single time.  The bulgogi runs a close second on an item not to be missed on this menu.  Classic, straightforward Korean food served efficiently and inexpensively. 

Not to be nitpicky, but the service is not the greatest in town.  There are always a lot of waitresses buzzing around and they are the most efficient bunch I’ve ever seen.  If I can get a smile out of any of them, I feel as though I’ve accomplished something pretty spectacular!